Improvement in winding-ratchet for time-pieces



W. H. LAMBJ Watch Barrel.

No. 86,931. Patented Feb. 16, 1869.

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WILLIAM H.,LAMB, 'oF SAN FRANCIS-C0,. CALIFORNIA. Letters Patent No. 86,931,- dated Februa/ry 16, 1869.

IMPROVEMENT 11v WINDING-RATCHET ron TIME-muons.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making p rt 8325- To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM H. LAMB, of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented an Improved Ratchet for Time-Pieces; and I do hereby declare the following description and accompanying drawings are sufficient to enable any person skilled in the art or science to which it most nearly appertains, to make and use my said invention or improvement without-further invention-orexperiment.

The nature of my invention is to provide a ratchet for time-pieces, so constructed that an attempt to wind the watch or timepiece the wrong way will do no harm, there being no danger of breaking the pawl or teeth of the ratchet-wheel, as in the ordinary construction of time-pieces.

To accomplish my object, and to more fully illustrate and describe my device, reference is bad to the accompanying drawings, of which- Figure 1 is a plan.

Figure 2 is a side sectional view.

A is a plate, which is countersunk on its face for the ratchet-wheel B. y

The edge or periphery of this wheel is provided with circular indentations, O O O, in the place of the usual teeth in the ordinary ratchet-wheel.

At one side of this wheel, I place a small metal disk, D, against which a steel spring, E, bears.

This spring is so fastened to the plate, near its edge, that when the wheel is turned in the right direction the projection on the edge of the wheel forces both the disk and spring back until the projection passes, when the disk is forced back by the spring into the indentation next succeeding the notch or projection just passed.

The wheel-is set into the face of the plate, and an inclined edge or rim, F, passes near enough to the ratchet-wheel, to catch the disk.]), when it is forced back by the spring, which, binding between the ratchetwheel and incline, thusholding the wheel filln, serves in the place of a pawl.

By this construction oftime-pieces, I do away entirely with the teeth on the ratchet-wheel and the pawl, which are liable to break when the piece is attempted to be wound in. the wrong direction, and frequently breaking from -other-causes,--and substitute in their,

places awheel and disk, which any ordinary strain will not injure, thus rendering the time-piece less liable to get out of order.

The relative position to the mechanism of a watch is hardly shown in the drawings, but it will be easily understood by those skilled in the aitof watch and clock-making.

The expense of manufacture will be considerably less than the ordinary ratchet-wheel and pawl.

Having thus described my invention,

What I claim, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent is- 1. The disk 1), operating in the indentations of the ratchet-wheel B, and impinging against the plate, or equivalent device, for preventing thesvheel from turning backward, substantially as described.

2. Forming the wheel B with indentations, O G O, to fit the circular shape of the disk, and holding the said disk between the incline F and the wheel by means of the spring E, substantially as described, for the purposes set forth.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal.

. WM. H. LAMB. [L. s]

. Witnesses: I

O. W. M. SMITH,- J. L. Boom. 

